Mom’s Sausage & Sage Dressing (Pork Sausage Stuffing Recipe)

Once you make this stuffing recipe, you will never want to make another ever again! My Mom’s Sausage & Sage Dressing is the only one we have ever had on Thanksgiving. It’s my Grandma’s recipe and our family’s favorite part of the Thanksgiving holiday meal!

Growing up, my Grandma Czaplewski always had Thanksgiving dinner. When she passed away, a month after I gave birth to my first son, Spencer, we moved it to my Mom’s, but the dinner stayed exactly the same. Every year, my Mom says “Should I make something different? It’s like the same ‘ol same ‘ol.” To which I always reply “NO!!” I am a creature of habit and it is a dinner that I look forward to every year, and I want it exactly the same, just what I picture in my head when I think of Thanksgiving dinner.

Speaking of pictures, in this day and age, we take pictures of everything! I guess it’s because most of us have a camera phone at our disposal. But back in the day, that just wasn’t a thing. I had to search to find a picture to share with you of my grandma and me to post on this entry. This is her, with my husband and I back in 1991.

Sausage and sage stuffing

One of my favorite things about this recipe (next to the amazing flavor!) is that it’s one of the few recipes that I have that is in my Grandma’s handwriting. Handwriting sparks such nostalgia, doesn’t it?  It can’t be duplicated, just like the person doing the writing cannot.

If you love sausage and sage dressing, you are sure to love these recipes that are perfect for your Thanksgiving table too:  Smoked Turkey Recipe, Instant Pot Sweet Potato Mash, and these Broccoli Stuffed Mushrooms.

Grandma’s Sausage & Sage Dressing

I spoke with my Mom and shared the recipe that my Grandma wrote down for me some 35 years ago. She has made some variations to the recipe, but strangely, it tastes the same to me. My mom makes extra stuffing because we would all cry if there were no leftovers! So, these days, she buys a turkey that is somewhere between 22-24 pounds, prepares the dressing, and stuffs as much of it inside the turkey as it can hold. The remaining goes into a heavy-duty foil pouch and bakes along with the turkey. Yay for extra dressing!

I wrote this post for the first time in November 2012 and updated it in 2019 with the details of how to make it. My Mom had recently spent the day with me, and we made her entire Thanksgiving meal together. I was able to photograph it, and then update the pictures for you. 

The day we made the stuffing to show you the step-by-step instructions, we prepared it in a bowl.  As I mentioned before, my mom typically stuffs the bird and wraps the extra in tin foil to bake. She does this mostly for lack of oven space. The printable recipe card will tell you how to bake the stuffing in the bird, in foil, or in a casserole as I have here.  

I know.  I keep switching the name.  “Dressing” and “Stuffing” – everyone uses them differently. Typically “stuffing” goes in the bird, and “dressing” is cooked outside of the bird.  In our family, there was no rhyme or reason to that, as we always called it dressing, because that’s what my Grandma called it. Call it whatever you want, just make it! I promise you will love it!

Ingredients for sausage and sage stuffing

For complete ingredients and instructions scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe. 

• Pork sausage: I like to use sage-flavored pork sausage.
• Bread crumbs: I used two different types of bread crumbs; herb-seasoned and country-style. 
• Celery: Diced celery adds flavor and some crunch to the stuffing. 
• Onion: Any kind of onion, minced, is good to add flavor.
• Chicken broth/ Chicken stock: Chicken broth adds flavor and moisture to the stuffing. You can use turkey stock or vegetable stock. 
• Butter: Salted or unsalted butter both work to cook the vegetables. 

Be sure to keep reading to find tips and tricks, substitutions, and answers to questions you may have about this sausage sage stuffing. 

How to make this sausage sage stuffing recipe

There are a few simple steps to making this stuffing with sausage and sage. 

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown sausage until cooked. Remove from pan and set aside.

In that same skillet, melt butter. Add celery and onion and cook until tender. About 10 minutes. Cool slightly so you are able to touch it for the next step.

Add your cooked celery and onion, bread crumbs and pork sausage to a big bowl.  

Using your hands mix it all together. Begin adding chicken stock a little at a time, and working with your hands until it becomes the right consistency. The amount of bread crumbs you use will determine how much liquid you need, so working slowly is key. 

My mom is showing here how the dressing will stick together and form a ball when it’s got enough moisture.  

Stuff your turkey full and wrap the remaining stuffing in heavy-duty foil. Bake the turkey according to size and package instructions for a stuffed bird.

To bake the foil package, place it in the oven with the turkey for about 45 minutes before the turkey is done. When turkey is cooked, remove stuffing immediately.

Leftover stuffing will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven. You can freeze leftovers of this sausage stuffing recipe for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. 

Love it? Pin it!

If you love this sausage and sage dressing recipe, make sure that you don’t lose it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

Dressing vs Stuffing – What’s the Difference?

Call it what you like, but if you’re cooking your stuffing inside the turkey, be sure to remove it from the cavity as soon as possible! While you don’t want to burn yourself, it’s important to get it out quickly to avoid any risk of bacteria turning your meal into a food safety issue.

Cooking stuffing in the bird does come with some perks. It helps keep the turkey moist and absorbs delicious flavors from the meat. But if you’re concerned about safety, you can always opt for adding aromatics like onions, carrots, or celery inside the turkey to keep it moist (just be sure to remove those promptly too).

For peace of mind, consider making the stuffing as dressing, cooked outside the bird. This way, you get all the flavor without the worry.

Here is a great cooking guide for cooking turkeys, both stuffed and unstuffed. 

From left to right, My Mom, My Grandma and Me in the late 1980’s

Happy Thanksgiving, from my Mom, My Grandma and Me.

This recipe was originally posted in 2012. It was updated in 2019 and in 2024 to improve user experience.